Broken Bones
by GailTheFish
Summary: Domestic fluff ensues when Molly breaks her leg.
1. Molly

**Broken Bones**

_CJ and Toby are married but after a couple of years in New York t__hey decided to move back to DC in order to be closer to the twins._

_It's helpful too given that CJ is considering running for a seat in the House of Representatives, all in due time._

_It's also convenient for Josh who wants to poach Toby as a new Santos advisor when he's not busy teaching at GW University._

_It's AU in that CJ didn't marry Danny beforehand or have a child with him as seen in 7x01._

_The background is pretty irrelevant as it's basically domestic fluff but I wanted to make it clear._

* * *

Toby was sat in his study, having only just arrived home from work at GW, when the phone rang.

"Hello," he answered.

"Toby, hi, Molly's had an accident," Andi was on the other line sounding anxious.

An awful feeling rose in his stomach; ""What happened?!" Toby growled in frustration down the phone.

"She fell off her bike and landed funny. I took her to the hospital and she's broken her leg." His ex-wife told him.

"Oh god. Is she okay?"

"She will be, she's pretty shaken up." Andi told him.

"I'm coming right over, are you back home?"

"Yeah," she replied, "See you soon."

Toby stopped at the mini-mart around the corner from Andi's to buy his daughter candy and the cutest toy he could find before arriving at the house.

Andi greeted him on his arrival. "Hi, Toby."

"Hi," he said, "Where is she?"

"She's in the living room, Huck's been looking after her bless his heart."

"Okay," Toby nodded and wandered along Andi's hallway where he bumped into Huck who emerged from the kitchen.

"Hi dad!" He beamed.

"Jeez you gave me a fright, hi son." Toby scooped him up in his arms, "How you doing?"

"Sad for Molly." He explained, leaving Toby wondering how he had such sweet children.

"She'll be fine, she's a fighter." he told his son and Huck merely nodded into him.

He was about to head into the living room with him when Huck started pulling at his jacket.

"Let me down please Dad, I need to go finish my get well soon card."

"Sure," Toby placed him down with a kiss to the head and watched him run upstairs.

* * *

Toby walked into the living room to find Molly; she was sitting on the couch with her bright pink cast outright in front of her on an ottoman, playing with her teddies and watching the television.

"Hi, Daddy!" She lit up when he entered the room and his heart broke a little when he noticed the evidence of her crying.

"Hi Molly!" he murmured, sitting down beside her to give her a big hug and kiss. "What on earth happened to you, sweetie?"

"I fell off my bike." She pouted.

"I heard," he said, "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah," she nodded sadly.

"C'mere baby," he wrapped his arm around her daughter and squeezed her, eliciting a giggle, "I see you went for the bright cast,"

Molly grinned as they observed her fluorescent pink leg cast, "I want it to be pretty."

"What are we going to do with you?" He chuckled and hugged her close before remembering the carrier bag he'd left in the hallway. "One minute, hon."

He quickly returned; "I got these for my brave girl."

Molly opened the bag to see the small plush lion and a small box of candy and beamed, "Thank you!"

"You've had a rough day," he smiled.

"It really hurts, Daddy." The quiver in her voice broke his heart even more.

"You're a fearless gal though," he held up the lion playfully, "like this one here. Zieglers are tough."

"I know," she near sobbed and buried her face in his chest.

* * *

Toby sat holding her for a while, playing with her hair, until his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

"Hello?" He answered, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Are you still at work? Where are you?" CJ asked.

"I'm at Andi's, Molly broke her leg." He sighed.

"Oh my god is she okay?" she panicked.

"It really hurts." He echoed his daughter's words.

"Oh bless her. Is she there? Put her on." CJ urged.

Toby handed the phone to Molly, "It's CJ."

Molly's face lit up again as she put the phone to her ear. "Hey, CJ!"

"Have you been out trying to give your old dad a heart attack?" CJ chuckled to her step-daughter.

"I couldn't help it." Molly uttered.

"I know baby. Does it hurt?"

"So much," she whined.

"Do you want me to come see you with some ice cream?" CJ soothed.

"Yes please." Molly said perkily.

"Chocolate chip or cookie dough?"

"Cookie dough!" she sang.

"Okay see you soon, love you Mol."

"Love you too CJ." Molly replied and handed the phone back to Toby.

"You never tell me you love me on the phone." He commented to CJ.

She snorted in response. "Don't go all soppy on me. I'll see you soon."

"You're coming over?"

"Of course I am!" She announced, "Your poor daughter needs the love of a good carton of ice cream and her favourite step-mom."

"I hope you don't intend on giving her the entire thing, I already bought candy." He warned cautiously.

"No I'm going to eat it too." She commented.

"There'll be none left for her though." He quipped.

"Shush." CJ murmured. "Won't be long."

"Bye." He muttered and hung up.

"That woman's determined to fatten you up." He related to Molly once off the phone.

"It's called comfort food, Daddy." She told him innocently, clearly quoting CJ.

Toby shook his head in bemusement. "Yeah."

* * *

CJ arrived 15 minutes later with the promised ice cream and a pack of sodas.

"Hey guys." She said softly, "How's my favourite girl?"

Molly smiled, "A bit better."

"Good girl," CJ dumped the bags on the coffee table before hugging Molly tightly.

"Look at that fabulous cast, ey?" she gasped, kissing her. "I had a boring white one when I broke my arm as a kid. Handling the pain?"

"I'm being brave." Molly told her and CJ glanced at Toby who merely shrugged.

"I bet you are." CJ sat down beside her, hugging her close. "How about we watch one of your movies?"

"Okay!" Molly responded. "Can we watch Shrek?"

Toby tried to suppress his groan, failing and earning a steely glare as CJ replied. "Of course we can sweetie. Toby honey, go get us some spoons would ya?"

"Yes, ma'am." He muttered and walked off into the kitchen.

He came back in minutes later with a tray holding the sodas, the tub of ice cream and 2 spoons.

"No ice cream for you, Daddy?" Molly wondered as she picked up one of the spoons.

"No, I'm making myself some noodles."

"Noodles, why?" CJ asked, taking the carton off the tray.

"Can't a guy fancy some noodles?" he defended.

"I married a freak," she muttered under her breath to Molly, and the pair began giggling.

"I can hear you, y'know," Toby grumbled, "I guess I'm putting in the DVD too?"

"Yes, Daddy," Molly and CJ chorused.

* * *

They were an hour into the movie when Molly fell asleep, but CJ and Toby continued to watch the adventures of Shrek.

Andi popped her head around the door, having been dragged into card-making with Huck. "Guys, I'm going to pick up the portable wheelchair for Molly from the hospital. I'm taking Huck with me."

"Okay, see ya." Toby muttered, not turning away from the screen.

CJ smirked as she watched him engrossed in the movie, "I didn't think you were a fan of Shrek."

"It's one of the better animated features they like." He told her pointedly.

"Yeah, yeah." She chuckled.

Molly's head was still resting on CJ's shoulder in slumber when the movie ended.

"Toby, I need to pee." She groaned.

He guided his daughter's head to his own shoulder to allow CJ to move and she nodded in gracious thanks on her exit.

"Mom?" Molly stirred, eyes opening.

"She went to get your wheelchair sorted, honey." Toby told her quietly.

"No, CJ?" she responded, and Toby failed to hold back the smile forming at his lips because neither of the twins had called CJ 'Mom' before.

"She went to pee," he said.

Molly didn't respond but once CJ returned she suddenly became alert. "Can we watch something else?"

"Sure, Mol. What do you want to watch?"

"Finding Nemo?"

"Okay," CJ grinned, "I love that movie."

"How old are you again, Ceej?" Toby spoke up.

"Shut up and find the movie, Pokey." She smiled.

* * *

After Finding Nemo, Molly was completely out in sleep. Toby carried his daughter to bed, followed by the ever-fussing CJ.

"What are you doing?" Toby asked her as she organised the pillows on Molly's bed.

"Plumping up her pillows, a girl's gotta be comfortable." She responded nonchalantly.

"So I've learned," he grumbled, fully accustomed to CJ's awkward sleeping positions. "Are you done? My arm's numb."

"There." CJ patted the bed and Toby eased Molly onto the covers, watching her leg and propping it on one of the pillows; CJ draped blankets over her sleeping figure.

"Sleep tight, honey." Toby kissed Molly's head, brushing hair out of her face.

CJ kissed her goodnight too and after saying goodbye to a still-awake Huck and Andi, they returned home.

* * *

Once at their house, they went straight to bed and lay relaxed, cuddling.

"I hope Molly's okay," CJ mumbled.

"She will be. She's turning into a klutz just like her step-mother," he said plainly.

"Hey," she jabbed his chest, "None of that."

"Actually, you know something?" Toby began softly.

"What?" she muttered.

"Molly called you Mom earlier." He grinned.

"What?" CJ quietly repeated.

"She asked where 'Mom' was, and I said out at the hospital, and she said, 'No, CJ?'"

"You're kidding," she smiled.

"Not at all," Toby murmured, "She loves you so much."

CJ swallowed the developing lump in her throat, "God I love her, Huck too."

"I'll never be over how great you are with them."

She moved her head to his chest, half nuzzling him; this to avoid meeting his eyes which were prickling with tears. "Jesus, you Zieglers are out to get me aren't you? I'm sick of you lot making me emotional."

He kissed her hair gently, "We wouldn't have it any other way, Ceej."


	2. CJ

A couple of weeks had passed since Molly's injury occurred and she'd mastered child-size crutches as opposed to the wheelchair Andi begged her to use.

"Honey, you'll fall if you slip with them and we can't have you breaking the other leg too," she would warn.

Toby tried to get her to use the crutches, since he figured she should try and become more active as soon as possible.

One afternoon, he was sitting at work about to leave to pick up Molly and Huck from school, Andi being tied down in a vote, when his phone rang.

"Toby Ziegler," he answered monotonously.

"Toby? Hi, it's Carol." Carol was working as CJ's assistant again; she had jumped at the offer when CJ was in need of a new assistant when back in the area.

"Hi Carol, what's up?" he didn't find it strange to be called by her in the middle of the day.

"CJ fell down the stairs, we're at the hospital."

"She what?" Toby asked in shock.

"She fell down the stairs and she can't walk."

"Jesus, is she there?"

"She's getting seen to by the doctor." Carol exclaimed.

Toby rubbed a hand over his beard, "I need to get the twins from school."

"I'll bring her home when we're done," Carol told him sympathetically.

"Thanks, Carol."

"Bye, Toby."

* * *

Toby and the twins were back at home: Toby preparing them dinner while they sat on the couch doing their homework.

He was worried as Carol hadn't brought CJ by yet and it was getting late.

The doorbell rang around 5 though and he nearly gasped when he opened the door.

"Hey, Tobus." CJ was sitting in a wheelchair, purse on her knee and leg in a cast. Carol was standing sheepishly behind her.

"What did you do?" he asked, opening the door wider so Carol could wheel her into the hallway. "Did you get up the steps okay?"

CJ nodded before starting, "I thought that taking the stairs while carrying boxes at work would be some good exercise. Would've been a wise idea to wear flats."

"Apparently so," he observed.

"Yep, I broke my leg."

"Just like Mol," he commented.

"Just like Mol," she repeated wistfully.

"Are the women in my life trying to tell me something with these broken legs?"

"We're not, Pokey." She said and then her face grew into a small grin, "Oh they're here aren't they?" she asked, in relation to the twins.

"Yeah." Toby confirmed and turned to Carol, "Carol, thank you so much for looking after her. I can handle her now."

"No problem at all. Call me tomorrow, CJ." Carol smiled.

"Thanks, Carol. See ya!" CJ beamed, "Now come on, wheel me in to the kids."

"Already demanding…" Toby muttered.

* * *

"Why hello children!" CJ exclaimed as Toby wheeled her into the living room.

"Oh my god, CJ! What did you do?" Huck gasped as he moved towards her, earning a laugh from CJ.

"You sound too old, kid. I broke my leg, Mol we're like twins." She smiled.

"You got a bright cast too!" Molly beamed from her spot, "Daddy, move her here."

Toby wheeled CJ to the couch, "You want help getting on it?"

"No Toby I'll jump on no problem," she deadpanned.

"C'mere." He helped her shift onto the couch beside Molly, whose cheek she kissed affectionately.

"Does it hurt? It hurts doesn't it?" she questioned CJ.

"Like a bitch," she chuckled but Toby glared at her warningly, "Sorry, real bad."

"Daddy do we have ice cream for CJ?" Molly asked her father, wanting to repay CJ for the ice cream she had been given.

" There's some in the freezer, but you two need your dinner first before you go near it."

"Fine," the twins huffed in unison.

"I hope that doesn't apply to me too," CJ pouted playfully.

"Like I'd ever try to come between you and ice cream."

* * *

After dinner, Huck sat reading on the floor while Molly and CJ watched cartoons on the couch.

"I can't believe you broke your leg after me," Molly said to her while sipping at milkshake.

"You and me both, honey." CJ replied, "Your dad's going to end up demented with us two hobbling about the place."

"Who said he isn't already?" Toby spoke from the armchair, peering up from his laptop.

"Lighten up, Tobus. We're delightful," she grinned.

"Sure." He replied airily and resumed his work.

"We should have crutches races when your leg's a bit stronger." Molly suggested to CJ.

"No you're not," Toby spoke up again, not looking up this time.

"Wheelchair races are the way forward, dear," CJ told her, "Much more fun."

"Okay." Molly sang before yawning, "I'm tired."

"Me too." CJ whined, "C'mere sweetie."

She wrapped her arms around Molly, who did the same in response, and they leaned into each other as to find a comfortable napping position.

Toby admired what became their peacefully sleeping forms after mere minutes, throwing a blanket over the pair as they slept. He adored how much Molly loved CJ, and vice versa, and moments like this made him incredibly thankful for them.

* * *

Huck had gone upstairs and came downstairs later on to find CJ and Molly still asleep and Toby still watching them from his spot.

"Awwww." He gushed, noticing them.

"Shhh, don't wake them," Toby whispered and gestured for his son to sit on his knee.

Toby and Huck watched them for a while before Toby had an idea.

"Huck, go upstairs and get the digital camera would you? It's on my desk in the study."

"Okay, Dad." Huck muttered and hopped off to go back upstairs.

In the meantime, Toby managed to put his cell on silent and take a picture of the pair for his wallpaper.

Huck returned with the digital camera which gave Toby another idea: "Sit there." He motioned to the floor next to them and Huck grinned broadly as Toby took a photo – this one to be his wallpaper.

They then took several pictures of the pair sleeping, an adorable vision.

CJ began waking up a few minutes later.

"Whoa, hey." She mumbled, noticing Huck was reading on the floor right beside her.

"You rested?" Huck asked her quietly, trying not to wake the still sleeping Molly.

"Yeah. You can sit up here." She patted the small space next to her, where he sat up and she smiled at his conscious effort to avoid her legs. "I won't break, Huck."

"You did though." He commented back, met with a small chuckle.

It seemed Huck had joined in with the sleeping when Toby returned from uploading his photos onto his desktop computer as he noticed his son nestled in CJ's other side the way Molly had continuously been resting.

He was shaken out of his thoughts as the doorbell rang, which surprisingly didn't wake any of the others.

"Hi," Andi smiled when he opened the door, "Sorry I'm late we ran over."

"Did it pass then?" he asked regarding the major farming bill due to pass the House.

"Yeah," she nodded, "247."

"Good," he replied, "Come look at this."

* * *

Toby guided her into the living room where CJ and the twins were still fast asleep.

"Why is CJ wearing a cast?" she asked him with concern.

"She fell down the stairs at work, broken leg."

"Good grief," she uttered under her breath.

"Please tell me you took a photo," Andi then whispered to which Toby nodded with a warm smile. "I don't want to wake them."

"Molly and CJ have been like that for an hour or so now, Huck joined them earlier." He mentioned.

"God it's the sweetest," she gushed but then decided to ease them out of sleep gently.

Andi moved to Huck first, "Huck, you awake there buddy?"

"Hi," he murmured, "Is it time to go?"

"Yeah, go fold up your sister's wheelchair in the hall, I'll carry her to the car." she whispered and he diligently obeyed.

She moved round to Molly's side of the couch, "Molly sweetheart, time to go,"

"Huh?" she sleepily opened her eyes, adjusting to the light, "But CJ's still sleeping,"

"Leave her be, she'll be exhausted after the day she's had," Andi told her daughter and extended her arms to pick her up.

"Wait," Molly unfolded herself from CJ's arms and kissed her cheek before Andi could lift her.

Huck came in and followed suit with the kiss before hugging Toby. "Bye, Dad."

"See ya later, buddy," Toby said before leaning to Molly, "see you sweetie,"

"Bye Daddy," she smiled and kissed him.

* * *

It was another hour before CJ woke but when she did, she was completely startled to be alone.

"Toby?" she called out, noticing he wasn't around.

He came down the stairs at her voice and found her groggy on the couch.

"Well hello sleeping beauty," he chortled.

"Where are the kids?" she asked.

"Home," he told her, sitting beside her.

"I missed them leaving?" she asked sadly.

"Yeah, we had to pry them away from you though." He laughed softly and she smiled to herself at the comment.

"What time is it?"

"After eight." He told her.

"Wow, these painkillers must've knocked me out then." She moaned, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'm still exhausted."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her head, "Do you want me to carry you to bed?"

CJ began laughing quietly, "Are you sure you're capable? I'm hardly dainty,"

"You're perfectly manageable," he stated in defence.

"You're such a charmer," she said dryly.

He shut her up with a kiss, to which she lazily responded, hands twined around his neck.

* * *

"How are we going to get you up then?" he wondered, "Why are you so tall?"

"Born this way, baby." She grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"Painkillers are definitely working. I'll just hoist you over my shoulder." He joked.

"That's no good for my supposedly elevated cast." She complained.

"C'mere." He got up and bent down slightly towards her, "Arms around my neck, I'll get your waist, good leg around my back and other one out?"

"Okay," CJ held onto him, and let her good leg co-operate with Toby picking her up.

He had her in his arms off the couch and gazed into her eyes, "Okay?"

"Painkillers are wearing off," she whined and he began padding across the living room.

"Watch the doors," he mentioned, "those legs of yours are deathly."

"Toby you don't complain when they're around your neck, I wouldn't start now," she teased.

He somehow managed to climb the stairs and then gracefully drop her onto their bed once upstairs.

"Will you bring my wheelchair up? They didn't give me crutches so I'll need it for the bathroom and stuff," she asked of him.

"Sure," he replied.

* * *

CJ was settled on the bed a few minutes later and Toby brought her up some cocoa.

"You're being sweet," she commented.

"It's possible you know." He contended while he changed into pyjamas.

"I know, it's nice." She smiled, sipping at her drink. "Will you help me get my skirt off?"

"Happily," he grinned.

"Come on, I can't have sex like this." She whinged.

"I know, I know. We're going to have to work around your injury."

"I think we'll cause more injuries than we started with," she quipped.

"All in good time," Toby chuckled as he helped her sit up and unzipped the skirt.

Pulling it off, he kissed his way down the exposed skin. "Even with a shockingly bright mile-long cast, you've still got the best legs in DC."

CJ fingered his hair lightly, "You know, talk like that's not going to help the abstinence."

He moved up to kiss her lips, "You're right."

* * *

It took a while, but the couple found a comfortable sleeping position: one that at least, would enable CJ to drift off peacefully.

She lay on her back, propped up on pillows the way Molly had been, with Toby's arms snaked around her waist and his body curved into her side much like the way she usually was into his.

"I don't like this," she moaned.

"Is it still painful?" he wondered sympathetically.

"So bad," she moaned again.

"Babe…" he kissed her temple and hugged her waist tighter.

"I'm basically an invalid."

"You'll cope. Molly has."

"I know, but she's a healthy 9 years old whereas I'm a lanky middle-aged woman."

"You're still fit as hell though," he commented, a double meaning.

"I told you, no sex."

"I'm making you feel better, which is something I don't do often, so enjoy it while it lasts," he murmured, breath hot in her ear.

"Okay, Pokey." She hummed.

Toby could tell by her breathing when she was close to sleep, "Love you, Ceej."

The only reply was further peaceful breathing, so he simply shifted closer and dozed off into sleep alongside his wife.


End file.
